repaired · 2026 Q2
Front: warning light/devices
Risk. A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
2017 Tesla Model SProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 432 owner complaints about the 2017 Tesla Model S, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 9 safety recalls, and for recall 21V-035 the manufacturer reports only 66% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 3, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2017 Tesla Model S has problems
432 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
114Electrical system7 crash/fire/injury
107Suspension15 crash/fire/injury
69Forward collision avoidance8 crash/fire/injury
49Steering3 crash/fire/injury
36Vehicle speed control16 crash/fire/injury
28Exterior lighting
25Service brakes
24Lane departure
20Back over prevention
9313 other systems24 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 114 | 7 |
| Suspension | 107 | 15 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 69 | 8 |
| Steering | 49 | 3 |
| Vehicle speed control | 36 | 16 |
| Exterior lighting | 28 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 25 | 8 |
| Lane departure | 24 | 3 |
| Back over prevention | 20 | 2 |
| 13 other systems | 93 | 24 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
9 recalls
2017 Tesla Model S recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2025 Q4
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Risk. Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2025 Q4
Driver monitoring: software
Risk. In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as…
repaired · 2025 Q1
Steering: automated/adaptive steering
Risk. FSD Beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a…
Show 5 more recalls
repaired · 2024 Q3
Steering: electric power assist system
Risk. A loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2022 Q2
Steering: automated/adaptive steering
Risk. Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2023 Q4
Hood: latch
Risk. If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could open unexpectedly, obstructing the driver's view and…
repaired · 2021 Q4
Forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking
Risk. Unexpected activation of the AEB system may cause the car to stop suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2023 Q1
Back over prevention: software
Risk. The eMMC controller wear-out condition can cause the loss of the rearview camera display, defrost/defog control settings, and exterior turn signal lighting,…
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Tesla.
Mileage at failure
When do electrical system problems start?
35kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 71 electrical system complaints. 99% were reported before 100,000 miles.
Only 48% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.
23under 30k miles70under 100k miles1100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Electrical system
8 owners mentioned a cost$2,500median
Middle half: $1,375 – $2,500
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2017 vs. every other Model S year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Model S median. How we score
'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
17 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2017 Tesla Model S, and the recalls they led to.
- Compliance with Standing General Order 2021-01 Reporting RequirementsOpen
- Battery Management Software UpdatesNo recall
- Sudden Unintended AccelerationNo recall
- Pedestrian alert soundsLed to recall 22V-063
- Defect Petition Interlock RequestNo recall
- Sudden Unintended AccelerationOpen
- Loss of rearview cameraLed to recall 21V-035
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
- Autopilot System Driver ControlsLed to recall 23V-838
- FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility ConditionsOpen
- Loss of rearview cameraNo recall
- Fore Link FailureNo recall
- Autopilot & First Responder ScenesNo recall
- FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility ConditionsNo recall
- Actually Smart Summon sessions resulting in low-speed impacts.No recall
- Traffic safety violations while Full Self Driving ("FSD") is engagedOpen
- Recall 23V838 Remedy EffectivenessOpen
In owners' words
What Model S owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
day time running light on driver side headlight burned out, it cannot be replaced, you have to replace the whole headlight assembly which costs about $1,000.00 plus labor, I think this is not right, on my other. cars I can change the running light myself and only cost a couple. of dollars
2017 Tesla Model S P100D. Vehicle received a paid MCU2 infotainment upgrade (MCU1 to MCU2), which replaced both the center touchscreen computer and the instrument cluster. The original MCU1 architecture used an independent computer for the instrument cluster, providing redundancy. The MCU2 retrofit…
My Tesla wouldn’t charge at Level 3, 2, or 1 charger resulting in the need for the tow and further service hours. Following the service I was told it was a software issue and that a power cycle resolved the issue which locked out the charging. It’s deeply concerning and baffling that this could…
Own a 2017 Model S?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.